Tuesday, September 21, 2010

This little box took some research on my part when I found it. At first, I thought, "Oh cool! What a great tackle box!" But I have a dad and uncles and grandfathers ... no one has a tackle box that looks like this. The patent number is on its bottom and after some searching and researching online, I learned that it is in fact a "budget box" - the top has spots for separating coins and bills and even little places for labels, as in "rent" or "groceries" or "Zappos."

The color and the fact that the little inside metal containers are removable, I've listed it on our shop, but it will be difficult to part with such a neat antique ...

Monday, September 20, 2010

There is a very special furniture store on North Avenue in Millvale, Pa., with an immaculate collection of funky pieces that appear straight out of a David Bowie video. I am always in awe of the items in the window - a lot of animal print and Lucite. If only Grace Jones lived in Pittsburgh ...

A big thank you to IheartPGH (and author Lindsay) for including us in a collection of "Pieces of Pittsburgh you can buy on Etsy." We've met a good many local Steel City crafters and Etsy team members who are making and selling fun and interesting pieces out of our fair city. We hope to continue to be part of the connection between Etsy sellers from our area, both vintage and handmade. Above are a few Red Pop vintage items that were made with love, right here in Southwestern Pennsylvania ...

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

So, it's not officially fall yet here in Southwestern Pa., but we're nearing it by just a few weeks and I'm very much ready for cider and kneesocks and plaid skirts. Here is a little collection of fall favorites, ALL of which are from our own collection ..

Friday, September 10, 2010

I'm a sucker for portraiture in general - faces, to me, are more interesting than a world of shapes and static landscapes. I'm biased, however, as I come from a home where my father is a portrait painter, and I have a degree in art history that's done wonders for my book collection and cocktail party conversation, but not necessarily my working adult life ...

Regardless, a big thank you to Domestica for sharing the work of Cayce Zavaglia on its blog. This is hand-stitched embroidery ... EMBROIDERY! I couldn't keep this link to myself.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

In honor of the recent fall-like weather in Pittsburgh and this GORGEOUS set of aluminum cups and pitcher listed this morning on Red Pop Shop, here is a yummy recipe for Dark and Stormy Cocktails to fill this pitcher with!

* DARK AND STORMY VANILLA COCKTAILS *

Combine 2 cups dark rum with 3 cups ginger beer (not ginger ale), the juice of 4 limes and a tiny splash of vanilla extract in a pitcher. Serve on the rocks with lime wedges.

My best pal M had this set when we were growing up, and it reminds me of her parents' living room, drinking pop and watching Tom Selleck movies on her Betamax. Mind you, this was far past the era in which this aluminum set was made and obviously her folks had had these for quite some time prior to us getting our early-1980s hands on them. But hey, Selleck's mustache, a wall-to-wall carpet den, a few Barbies and chex mix snacks? Memories are memories!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

The coreopsis in my garden was amazing this summer and although I'm ready for fall and mums and pumpkins on the porch, I'll be sad to see it go.

I've managed to kill pencil holly, rhododendron and even a few ferns- FERNS - since moving into my pad in 2006. This summer I got wise and went with hard-to-kill plants, lots of succulents and easy growers/repeat bloomers (didn't grow them from seed though - I think I bought them as plants at a local garden spot). I did attempt to plant poppies, which are a favorite of mine. Only one bloomed. I took a photo as evidence (see below) ...

The coreopsis was terrific however, as were my black-eyed susans, hostas and cone flowers, and they provided me with something sweet to look at in my 75-cent vase each morning on my bathroom sink. Until next summer ...